All Music Guide:

Ebi (Ebrahim Hamedi) was born in 1949 in Tehran. In his early life he and some of his friends founded a band called Sun Boys. They performed a couple of old Iranian songs for audiences. Leaving Sun Boys was simultaneous with his acquaintance to Shahram and Sahbal Shabpare. Ebi joined Shaharam and Shabal and two other young musicians to form the early five-member Black Cats. They continued to play at Kochini Club, which was one the most famous night clubs in Tehran. A few years later, Ebi left the band to start his solo career. Ebi is one of the most beloved artists in Iranian contemporary music. He owes this success to his warm and almost long-ranged baritone voice as well as outstanding ballads and political songs performed.

The first three songs recorded by Ebi were "Thirst," "Why?," and "Night," the latter with lyrics by Ardalan Sarafraz and music by Mansour Iran Nejad which made Ebi very famous. He performed this song live in a TV show called Silver Clove again. As Ebi himself has said, this live performance was a launching pad to the charts.

Before 1979's Islamic revolution, Ebi recorded six albums, some of which have songs that are still on the wish list of most Iranian youth. In some sense, these six albums are collection of soundtracks Ebi recorded for several movies as well as his singles performed up to that time.

After the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979, a few Iranian artists stayed in Iran like Farhad, Maziar, and Googoosh, while many others left their own country and preferred to continue their work mostly in California. Ebi was from the later group. It is said that Ebi had left Iran two years before the Islamic revolution for going on a tour around the U.S. He never came back to Iran.

In the years of being poles apart from Iran, he recorded 13 albums and had concerts in some of the most famous amphitheaters like Universal Amphitheatre, Shrine Auditorium, Greek Theatre, and Sydney Opera House.

During his professional career he worked with poets like Iraj Jannati Ataee, Ardalan Sarafraz, Shahriar Ghanbari, and Homa Mirafshar, composers like Varoujan, Babak Bayat, Farid Zoland, Siavash Ghomayshi, and Estafdiar Monfared Zadeh, and labels Avang and Caltex Records. The style of Ebi's music can be classified as foreign language (Persian) adult contemporary, most of which is adored for the magic words of Iraj Jannati Ataee and Ardalan Sarafraz.

In addition, Ebi recorded some songs with patriotism and political aspects. The immortal song "Everlasting Persian Gulf" from Gulf is the best of them without any doubt. 2006's Begrudging Flight, which is distributed by Avang, partly deals with some social issues like spoiled women rights.

Wikipedia:

For other uses, see Ebi (disambiguation).

Ebrahim Hamedi (Persian: ابراهیم حامدی , born June 19, 1949‎), known better by his stage name Ebi (ابی), is an Iranian singer. He is widely known for his vocal range.

Biography[edit]

Early life and career[edit]

Ebi was born in Tehran, the eldest of six siblings. He received early musical schooling, as he was discovered by the Ministry of Art and Culture at a very early age. Declining an offer to further pursue classical schooling as an opera soloist in Italy, Ebi instead turned to popular music as a member in the group "Sun Boys". A major breakthrough was Ebi's performance of the song "Shab" (Night) at Fereydoun Farrokhzad's TV-show "Mikhak-e Noghreyi". During a series of planned concerts in the United States, Ebi, due to the Iranian Revolution|revolution of 1979, decided not to return to Iran.

He left Iran before the Islamic Revolution;. He has performed his Iranian nationalistic song "Persian Gulf" that makes reference to the Iranian stand in the Persian Gulf naming dispute. Among other "politically charged" songs, Tasmim critically addressed the very controversial 2009 presidential election.

Ebrahim Hamedi, known better as “Ebi” to his millions of fans across the world. His legendary satin, yet incredibly powerful voice has established Ebi as a Legendary Iranian Singer for the ages. Throughout his 50 year career, Ebi has released over 20 albums, and closer to 100 singles, performed sold out shows across the world, and continuously released an endless string of hits, transcending Ebi’s fan base through 3 generations of Iranians worldwide.

Since the Islamic revolution, Ebi’s music has been illegal to play in Iran. He has spent the last 4 decades touring the globe, selling out some of the most prestigious venues in the world: Royal Albert Hall, Nokia Theatre LA Live, Wembley Stadium, Sydney Opera House, Air Canada Centre, and many many more.

Ebi’s passion for all kinds of music has always lead him to push the envelope, always evolving his music and allowing him self to be influenced by his surroundings and time. This has allowed him to enjoy a truly remarkable fan base where age plays no difference. His incredibly genuine connection to his fans has made him more than just a Pop Icon, but a symbol for his people. His active stance against political injustice, oppression of women, and constant charitable ambitions has always been Ebi’s “banner,” clearly visible in his music as well as throughout all aspects of his life.

He lives in Marbella, Spain, although he also spends time in Los Angeles. Ebi has 3 daughters from his previous marriage, and a stepson from his current.

Since the Islamic revolution in Iran he mostly tours the world, having combined musical influences from traditional Persian music, western pop and sometimes Latin style rhythms.